Espanyol fell back into the relegation zone after losing in Santander against Racing de Santander, with a score of 2‑0 that was sealed thanks to a goal from Zabiri in the 84th minute. The match, which was played on Saturday, showed a lack of forcefulness in the final minutes that left the Catalan team without golden points and consolidated its position in the relegation zone.
Coach Manolo Martínez, who had spoken of “another football” in the previous round, was forced to accept another slap in the face that leaves him at the head of the club with an uncertain future. The coach asked that the team “have more mischief, be more dogged and not allow the rival to kill them in the last minutes,” but the result did not show that improvement.
Over the course of the calendar year, Espanyol has played 31 La Liga games, with 93 points at stake, and has only achieved 21 of them after the latest setback. The number of victories is limited to four, which underlines the crisis the club is going through. Relegation has become a constant threat, especially after the defeats in the last two games against Málaga and Atlético de Madrid, where the lack of forcefulness was also evident.
The relegation has also affected the squad. Goalkeeper Tintín Márquez and defender Lluis Miquel Ramis suffered “rollings” at the El Sardinero Stadium and were fired shortly after their performances. Ramis, who had been a starter during the February 10 match, was “very affected” and lasted only one more month in office. History remembers that 18 years ago, on November 23, 2008, a similar defeat in the same stadium led to the departure of Márquez, who upon leaving Barcelona left the phrase “We smell like death” on TV3 television.
With relegation getting closer and closer, Espanyol urgently needs an improvement in its defensive and offensive performance. The club must decide whether to keep Manolo Martínez or look for a new coach before the season closes. The next phase of the team will be crucial to determine if it manages to avoid relegation or if the “horribilis year” continues with more defeats and losses for the club.